Print advertising as sponsorship
Posted on 04. Jun, 2009 by Josh in Marketing, Sponsors, Trends
Streetwear and sneaker design tastemaker Jeff Staple has launched a print magazine called Reed Pages (his store/gallery is called Reed Space). It’s a good-looking mag, although visually it doesn’t stand out from the rest of the modern design genre. That said, Reed Pages takes a fresh approach to content where all stories are given equal billing and organized alphabetically. Nonetheless, some are much more robust than others – e.g. one page of photos for Addict (below) vs. a 5-page feature on Brooklyn Machine Works.
But what’s most interesting about Reed Pages is its approach to advertising. According to Staple, there isn’t any.
Reed Pages does not have advertisers, only supporters and sponsors. The production of this publication is made possible by companies and organizations that provide us with grants and funding. We seek the assistance of groups that align themselves with the same ideologies that founded Reed Pages: Supporting a positive social contagion. Issue after Issue. Page after Page. When you get your hands on an issue, you’ll see how we show love to the people and companies that show love to us. We hope you find it like a breath of fresh air.
As you can see above, brands like QWSTION are given a full page with just a logo and the text, “This issue of Reed Pages is brought to you by [company]. For more information about [company], please visit www.[company].com.” It looks like the sponsors get their choice of black-on-white or white-on-black. That’s it.
You could argue that calling this anything other than advertising is just a way for Staple to differentiate his magazine from the competition. There’s some truth to that. But in the context of the differences between “advertising” and “sponsorship” – as those terms are commonly accepted in marketing circles – there’s actually some substance to Staple’s reasoning.
What’s the difference?
An advertisement is clearly delineated from the medium in which it exists. Within this container, the advertiser is free to deliver a message over which they have complete control. For instance, the same TV spot can run on a wide range of shows and doesn’t need to have a connection to any of them. To advertisers, the shows themselves simply deliver access to the audiences that the advertisers want to reach.
Sponsorship, on the other hand, places greater emphasis on the medium. The sponsored property is a distinct entity with which the sponsor is trying to align their brand. It’s not a blank slate where the sponsor can say whatever they want. By constraining sponsors to a simple logo and “We support Reed Pages,” Staple has created something that’s more similar to a logo on a cycling team jersey than it is to a standard advertisement.
What are the downsides?
“Advertising as sponsorship” wouldn’t work if Jeff Staple weren’t an icon in the community that his magazine addresses. Establishing a connection between the sponsor and Reed Page implies a connection between the sponsor and Staple himself. Not surprisingly, many of the sponsors are also Staple Design clients. So it’s not a model that any old magazine could adopt.
Furthermore, sponsorship’s biggest selling point is that it’s cheaper than advertising to an audience of equal size. So, in theory, Reed Pages’ sponsorship-only model leaves money on the table. Then again, the magazine itself is a promotional vehicle for Staple’s other ventures.
It’s also hard to ignore that Nike, QWSTION, and WeJetSet are both feature subjects and advertisers. The blurring of that line happens in all media, and particularly so in fashion magazines.
Who’s next?
Most magazines aren’t published by Jeff Staple. Most magazines wouldn’t be willing to constrain advertising messages if it meant lowering their prices. So I don’t think we’ll see the Reed Pages model too often. However, it does offer an appealing template for anyone who meets these criteria:
- Wants to put out a self-branded title
- Can’t afford to do it on their own
- Doesn’t really want to be in the publishing business
- Is already worth sponsoring
- Has easy access to potential sponsors
I guess that means I should start working on Kadisco: The Magazine.
[...] Read a original: Print promotion as sponsorship [...]
Hey Josh, great post.
I designed the black and white camo Addict jacket featured in your image, thanks for the link to the brand and for already doing really well what jeffstaple says hes doing in his bordering on revolutioniary zenlike manifesto, which ultimately is a kind of apology for putting out a commercial product.
Sure we need brands to keep the wheels turning – but not to keep our passions burning.
thanks.
I think the sponsorship may seem a bit annoying, but atleast the layout is fresh and content is good.
well, you can thank staple for tweeting this. ill be a regular to the site if you keep posting insightful stuff like this. as a cyclist with a marketing degree, i think this blog is at least somewhat up my alley hahaha
Nice analysis.
Jeff Staples’ intregation of advertising in Reed Pages is among the most elegant (and eye grabbing) I’ve seen.
I’m glad people like him are out there creating things. That innovation and general goodness makes everyone else raise their game. You’ll probably see this type of advertising in mainstream magazines in a few years.
Rob, that’s a good point about it being eye-grabbing. You could pay an agency a lot of money for creative that’s not nearly this good.
[...] a nice blurb on the difference between advertising and sponsorship. The post is based on the Reed Pages magazine. An advertisement is clearly delineated from the [...]